Favorite risky plays
 

two of my risky small-caps are doing well, so i thought i'd share/ask for opinions.

XOMA -- nice little pharmatech company, that's not covered very well. beat expectations, but that's because analysts were lazy and didn't raise them following a big deal announcement. they are expanding their stage 1 and stage 2 trials in order to speed up delivery. rumor has it that it's part of a $5 takeover deal, bring drugs further in the pipeline.

and

EGT -- relatively new company. supplies slot machines in emerging south-east asia markets. not profitable yet obviously. but installing machines in much higher quantities than expected. also, this is their first year of existence. expect them to install several times as many in 2008.

Re: Favorite risky plays
 

EGT is too illiquid for me but I do like XOMA, it has potential as a takeover by PFE, they really need a pipeline conduit and an acquisition is the fastest way to get there. ISIS is another good candidate for them. All the big Pharmas will be holding analysts meetings next week or so which means it might be a good time to pickup a few shares of several of the smaller Pharma companies.

Jimbo

PS: If it is a takeover target I expect it will bring closer to $6 per share than to $5.

Re: Favorite risky plays
 

avg volume is 500k. how much more liquid do you need? [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

also, i said it was risky. but the upside is well over $10.

Re: Favorite risky plays
 

[ QUOTE ]
avg volume is 500k. how much more liquid do you need? [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

also, i said it was risky. but the upside is well over $10.

[/ QUOTE ]

OK, the liquidity is not the entire problem even though nearly 60% of the shares are owned by insiders. I also noticed that the short shares month over month doubled, that is even more scary to me. Still has a negative cash flow even after being public for 4 years, looks like an accident waiting to happen to me but I am glad you have made money on it so far.


Jimbo

Re: Favorite risky plays
 

XOMA is not a takeover target for PFE, or likely anybody. I've followed the name for 15+ years. They could have bot all they wanted at $1 last year.

It's gone from $30 to 1 to 16 to 1 to 4 etc. They haven't gotten any real products they wanted approved, ever.

Re: Favorite risky plays
 

[ QUOTE ]
XOMA is not a takeover target for PFE, or likely anybody. I've followed the name for 15+ years. They could have bot all they wanted at $1 last year.

It's gone from $30 to 1 to 16 to 1 to 4 etc. They haven't gotten any real products they wanted approved, ever.

[/ QUOTE ]

I sure haven't looked at the stock much but I thought Lucentis was a pretty profitable product for them.

Who do you think is a good takeover target in the Pharms then? PDLI? Hope you say yes here, I picked up a few hundred shares around $17.50 during Thanksgiving week just in case they were.

Jimbo